Anywhere But Here
by jessa faerie
Summary: Lily Evans Potter would love nothing more than to be anywhere but with James Potter, her husband. He's still arrogant and wrong for her, but they must be together to create the one child that will change the course of history. open for better summary.


**A/N: So this is a new story I have come up with. I began writing it at the beginning of May. Last night I spent two hours writing on it. I hope that it is to your liking. I think this will be one of the stories that I am most proud of. **

Brief synopsis: Lily and James are married. Lily still does not like James and would prefer to be wed to the giant squid. James has not changed since they left Hogwarts, he's still arrogant. Read to find out why they are married in the first place, and why Lily would rather be Anywhere But Here.

_Disclaimer: These characters and settings belong to the great author J.K. Rowling who needs to hurry up on her 7th book!_

**Anywhere But Here**

_Chapter One_

Swift winds that would leave one breathless, should they saunter in the park, whipped around the ancient bricks and thick windows surrounding Lily in Godric's Hollow. October of 1980 was coming to a close, which for Lily Evans Potter meant fertility. She and her husband, James Potter, would be trying for a baby tonight. She was dreading it.

The Evans family had a good history for getting pregnant on the first try.

"Good, I won't have to have sex with him more than once." She thought to herself optimistically.

The beautiful red head sat in the empty spacious living room. The wood in the fireplace steadily burned on; the complacency of the embers created a would-be comforting atmosphere in the house had here not been the anxiety of the night in Lily's heart.

What could she do? She had not wanted their marriage. James had not change much since their seventh year at Hogwarts. He was still an arrogant prat. In his eyes he was above the law and must be recognized by all female counterparts and otherwise drooled over by the ones who were 'below' him.

Not marrying him had been out of the question for her conscience. Lily remembered the day Dumbledore's soft blue eyes looked into her fiery emerald ones and explained that the fate of the wizarding world rested in her hands. The need of a child to be borne of Lily Evans and James Potter was vital to the existence of everything good Hogwarts had ever instilled in its students' minds.

_Lily knocked on the thick oak wood door of Dumbledore's office. She had been called in and she wasn't entirely sure why. The headmaster's familiar voice called out to her to enter._

"_Please, have a seat, Ms. Evans."_

_She took note of the worry in his elderly eyes, but worry of what, she did not know. _

"_Ms. Evans, out meeting will prove to not be one of your liking. There are things that I must tell you, thing you won't want to hear, but as a responsible adult I must ensue with our conversation."_

_It was at the next moment that Lily would see her most admired elder do something he had never done before. He would allow his secret thought to escape himself and play upon Lily's mind._

_He continued, "When one becomes older, as we all must do, you will look back on your life and wonder, 'What could I have done to make it better?' 'Is there anything I should have done differently to change what was back then the future and is now the past?' And surely there will be unwelcome memories that return to you and flood your mind for that reunion, but that is all they will be, irreversible memories. _

"_Ms. Evans, the wizarding world is in danger, and it shall be for quite some time. You know that our world is not as it was when you began you schooling here and Hogwarts. Of course there was a share of political differentiation, but that is to be expected of a community of our capacity._

"_How splendid to be eleven again, with not the burdens we carry today. To have the worries about having double potions with an opponent class. I scarcely recollect those days, Ms. Evans; they were quite long ago. To be young and carefree again is nothing but a wonderful manifestation of the ever imaginative mind. _

"_In growing up we involuntarily give up our childish fantasies. We become forced to acknowledge the inconveniences of being a teenager and the problems of society as we become adults. We give up old joys and accept new ones._

"_Ms. Evans, in this conversation I must ask you to give up many things, many important things that a woman possesses, without receiving much in return. You are a student I happen to care about a great deal, and I do not like that I must hand you the information that I will, but it is something I have to do. It is one of those responsibilities that I was volunteered for, by being born. And most likely in years to come, even two days from now, I will look back to this day, and ponder to myself 'How could I have changed that?' or 'What could have made it easier?' I do not possess the answers to those questions now and I may not even have answers in the future._

"_I speak to you on all of these things, not because it is a required formality, because I assure you it is not, but because you deserve the most advice and information that I can give you."_

"_Professor, I'm very confused. I…" Lily tried to convey, but Dumbledore had simply raised a hand._

"_I could see that from the moment you entered my office, and its progression has been quite expected." Dumbledore sighed greatly and furrowed his brow deeper that I already had been._

"_Ms. Evans, I must ask you to give up love. You will no be able to be united in a marriage for love. From this marriage will come something miraculous. This miracle will be small but will grow."_

_This time it had been Lily who interrupted, "Sir, a child?" _

"_Yes, Ms. Evans, a baby. I received information, a prophecy rather, from a reliable Seer. I know that there are skeptics about this version of magic but, she's genuine." Dumbledore was beginning to get a little bit more uneasy, for he did not know what the nature of Lily's reaction would be. _

"_I know that all of this may be very hard to swallow but a child must be borne of two parents, joined in marriage. This child will possess powers beyond our expectations."_

_The headmaster cast his tired eyes downward, and there was a brief silence. His kind blue eyes looked up at Lily as he said, "This child will bring Voldemort's reign to an end."_

_Upon that instant Lily's eyes had flashed widely open. A look of confusion graced her ivory brow, "Professor,"_

_He knew she would ask, after all, she was one of the brightest witches of her class._

"_Am I to bear this child?" she finished._

_His answer came promptly, "Yes. Unfortunately Ms. Evans, that is only half of the prophecy." As he had known before, he knew again what her next words would be, and what question they would form._

"_Who will be the father?" Lily was still very perplexed, and her face showed it._

_Dumbledore had looked into her eyes, evaluating if she could handle it. 'She will have to,' he thought, 'It's now, or never.'_

"_James Potter."_

_Lily Evans was agape. Upon hearing the name of her future husband and father of her child Lily felt herself become pale green and felt the bile churn in her stomach and reverse itself upward. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to not regurgitate breakfast in front of the headmaster. 'Does Potter know?' she thought to herself._

"_I know Ms. Evans. I am very sorry. I had to be the one to tell you. Not only is giving life a miracle in itself, but this child will be something truly remarkable."_

"_Oh no, sir, this can't, I mean there's no way, there has to be, a… another option." She looked half-heartedly optimistic._

"_No, I'm sorry. I have assessed every possible alteration for you. The child must belong to you and Mr. Potter and must be born at the end of July."_

_Lily did the rough math calculations quickly. _

"_That means I would have to be impregnated by the end of October."_

"_Yes, it does."_

"_That's….that's a…that's only a…"_

"_A month away. I know." _

_Dumbledore had given Lily a moment to catch what little breath existed in her lungs._

"_Even if you do consent to help us all, there will still be many deaths, much pain, and uncountable accounts of suffering. However, it all can be brought to an end with your son. The son of you and James Potter. You are both exceedingly intelligent. No one but the Seer, you, and I know of this, not even James. So if you were to turn me down, he would never even know."_

"_Professor, you don't understand. I hate him. He's incorrigible, arrogant, mean, cold-hearted, and ruthless. I cannot possibly marry someone like him, much less procreate with him."_

_The headmaster looked like he expected everything she was saying. _

_She continued, "So, all I have to do I marry him, and have a baby right?"_

_Dumbledore was taken aback but in high spirits. _

"_Yes, that's all." He smiled his gentle, kind smile._

_Lily sighed, "I'm in. Professor, you know that I could never live with myself if I would know this kind of information and not do anything to help."_

"_Thank you, Ms. Evans; you have done more for our world than you could ever know."_

Lily had off for the day as it was Hallowe'en. James had to go into the office for a few hours to help Frank Longbottom write out and file some of their Auror reports. The deep mahogany grandfather clock near the doorway of the sitting room sounded that it was 5 o'clock in the evening. James would be home quite soon.

Fifteen minutes later there was a loud crack in the foyer. She heard the rustle of a coat being taken off and hung up on the coat rack. The thud against the wall indicated that he had taken off his thick leather business shoes. Seconds passed before he entered into the naphtha and fireplace lit room where Lily Evans Potter, his wife, was curled up in a loose autumn robe that matched her brilliant green eyes.

He had a triumphant grin on his face, and they both knew why.


End file.
